Felt this picture needed explaining - this was the 'easy' part of the Meon Valley Plod two weeks ago. Icy rain over 21 miles or mud and slime meant a really tough race, as well as a torn glute muscle (again).  Highlights? ummm - I know; I saw a female runner slip, and with a faint squeak completely disappear into the mud.  Of course I stopped and gave her a hand, whereupon she sped up and I didn't see her until some while later when she was trying to convince a marshal that she wanted to drop out.  At the finish I was so cold I spilled my tea by shaking so much.  Great race though.

I spend so much time thinking about running (and very occasionally actually freeing myself from injury long enough to get out for a run) that I felt it was time so share some moments with the general public.  There are often moments during a run when I stop because suddenly all of existence is channeled down into one thing.  For instance, I was on a tiny lane in the countryside, and a hare bounded out of a field, stopped 6 feet away, and just squatted, looking at me.  I stopped too and the hare very cautiously crept over, sniffed my shoe, paused, and after about 20 seconds lolloped off into the field.  I was aghast at this, as they are such shy creatures.  I carry experiences like this around with me for days afterwards.  
My aim is to record these small life-affirming moments on this blog, and you never know I may even carry a camera and record them.  I hope this won't be all about me, but more a sharing of these things so that others can be given a little touch of the magic.  Who knows, you may go out and seek your own sparks of life!